Days
by rawrxsushii
Summary: Ansem discovered a lost keyblade wielder in the Realm of Darkness while on a mission to retrieve Ansem the Wise. He brought the child back to the Organization in hopes to learn more about their existence and power. It turned out to be a lot harder than it looked. (3rd in When Stars Align)
1. Vexen

**DISCLAIMER **: All Square Enix/Disney characters mentioned and used in this fictional work is/are the property of their respective mother companies. They are not mine and are only being used to share my love for this franchise, its story, and characters to everyone in the lovely place called the internet.

This is the sequel to "Hope is a Lie, but I'll Believe It Anyway", the second in the "When Stars Align" series. This picks up immediately after the one-shot and would follow Organization's reactions, interactions, and/or opinions of an amnesiac keyblade wielder in their midst. Because of the events of KH3 completely sweeping KH Union under the rug unless it was relevant (in the latter half), this series is now completely alternate universe. (Also I definitely got a lot of things wrong from KH Union lore's side. Damn you Nomura!)

Feel free to imagine yourself, or your player character as the child in this fic. [Player] is gender neutral in all my fics and is usually nameless, so have at it!

Comments and feedback are greatly appreciated.

* * *

_**Vexen**_

* * *

Vexen read through his charts and glanced over at the sleeping form of a child inside the incubation pod to his left. Ansem returned from his mission to the Realm of Darkness with his objective, Ansem the Wise, and another unforeseen variable; an unconscious child that emanated large quantities of darkness in their body.

Vexen was well acquainted with the Darkness. He wasn't gifted with the ability to control it but its existence allowed him to be alive. After his heart perished, his body survived and was able to sustain itself because of the darkness. He became a shell of his past self, a nobody named Vexen. He tried to recreate and harness it on his own, but the Darkness heeded no one.

While he could not control it, being around it enough made him understand what the Darkness was. It was a force that ran opposite to the Light that enveloped and powered most worlds. It devoured everything in its path and returned it into nothing. It was cold, and it was powerful.

It was not his power, but it gave him Ice.

After being defeated in Castle Oblivion, he was recompleted back into his Somebody, Even. However, he decided to return to the Organization , the real organization, and continue being Vexen to complete his research on the Replica Program. Ansem the Wise never agreed to his pursuit of knowledge, and if he returned to him like the rest of the other's did, he would never learn the true potential of Replicas. He was so close.

This child may prove to be one of the missing pieces he still lacked to truly create a Replica so real, that any person could inhabit its body; unbound by time and space.

Ansem could not expound on what the child was, or how they came to be trapped in the Realm of Darkness, but one thing was clear. They had the ability to wield the Keyblade. Ansem wanted the child to be one of their vessels despite their vast pool to choose from. They still had five to fill, and while he too was left to the side as a reserved vessel, Vexen had other plans. He had no intention of becoming another pawn in a war. He was a scientist first and foremost. He would complete his studies on the Replica program, then he would solve the enigma of this child's existence.

His old teacher, Ansem the Wise, refused to cooperate willingly and locate an amnesiac girl for them unless the child regained their consciousness. Vexen didn't understand the old man's sudden attachment to the kid, considering the other times he'd so willingly used children to answer questions they could not. Regardless of his opinions, Ansem ordered him to make haste with the child's recovery.

As much as Vexen wanted to 'fix' what was wrong with the child, all their vitals came out normal. There was nothing wrong with them. They just refused to wake. If Ansem hadn't been so adamant about keeping the fledgling keyblade wielder alive, Vexen would've been tempted to throw them as fodder for the Heartless to force them awake.

It has been at least three full cycles in this world that the child showed no progress in their conscious state. It frustrated Vexen because all these precious time could be used perfecting and creating more Replica's they could use as vessels, but no, he had to deal with babysitting a vegetable.

"How is the child?" Ansem asked as he walked through a dark corridor with that annoying pest of a masked brat with him. Vanitas, if he recalled correctly.

"Not much change, I'm afraid," Vexen regretfully said; truly he was. "Their vitals are normal, but I haven't recorded or observed any ounce of movement from them. Are you certain you didn't hit them with anything?"

Ansem silently glanced at him and Vexen turned away. "Apologies, I did not mean to insinuate such," Vexen said. "It only perplexes me that this child could exude large amounts of darkness that could power hoards of Heartless if they so choose to. I fail to see where it is all coming from unless you have already -"

"Similar to how we cannot use Riku as a vessel because of his developed resistance to the Darkness," Ansem explained. "This child has created their own defenses against darkness that is not their own, or what they were exposed to in the Realm of Darkness. The possibility of them turning our influence as their strength would be troublesome."

Vanitas walked closer to the child and traced his thickly padded fingers across their arm up to their chest. Vexen cautiously watched as the brat rested his hand on the child's heart. He laughed, his voice echoing beneath the helmet that covered his entire head. "I can see why you brought them back. They've got quite the darkness alright."

He pulled at the darkness pooling around the child and curled it around his hands. "All this pain and anger, it's honestly beautiful. My Unversed would love to feed on it." He chucked the darkness at the side, and a group of Flood crawled out of the floor and snatched the darkness like it was scraps on the floor.

Vexen regarded the Unversed for a bit, before turning back to the smaller member. "You can sense where their darkness comes from?"

"And you can't?" Vanitas scoffed. "So much for being a Seeker of Darkness - oh wait, you're not. You're a reserved vessel because the only thing you're good for, is creating more vessels for us."

"I am a man of science," Vexen said. "I only trust what I can observe, not what I feel. These charts tell me what the child is experiencing, not where the darkness comes from. Perhaps if you had any ounce of intelligence in your head then you would understand that this is beyond anything we know or have encountered before."

Vanitas chuckled, not the least bit offended by his critique. "Darkness will be the same in any shape or form," he said. "I don't need your science to know that. I am darkness, and so is this kid."

"I say we force them awake," Vanitas suggested. He filled his hand with a fist full of negative energy and hovered it dangerously close to the child's chest.

Vexen reflexively pushed Vanitas' hand away before he could touch the child again. "Were you not listening, brat? Inflicting them with foreign matter may cause them to further shut down!"

"You just said they were fine," Vanitas rolled his eyes and returned to doing as he pleased. "They just need a little push, right buddy?"

His expression was hidden behind the mask, but Vexen could feel the grin behind it as Vanitas pressed his hand unto the child's chest again. He replaced the darkness he took with his own, and the child's body violently shook.

The screens turned red at the sudden spike of heart rate and magical energy around the child, and Vexen fumed. "What did you do?! You ignoramus! You could've killed them!"

He hastily pressed commands and controls unto the device to return the child's vitals to normal, while Ansem and Vanitas waited for the child to show any sign of waking. The screen stopped blaring in bright red when Vexen managed to return the child's body in its stabilized state.

The kid let out a long sigh of relief as they relaxed back into their pod.

Vanitas scoffed, disappointed.

"You're not going to let what he's done pass are you?" Vexen cried at Ansem. "He could've jeopardized everything you put into this child?!"

"He did what seemed best in our situation," Ansem said. "I do not see you attempting anything to achieve what I have asked."

Vanitas chuckled, and Vexen sneered. He really hated that brat.

"The child must regain consciousness if we are to proceed with our plan. Subject X must be found," Ansem reiterated, "and Master's cooperation is 5vital to that. He would not do so unless the child is awake."

Vexen sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Truly, he was surrounded by incompetent buffoons who only trusted their own power rather than their intellect.

"Understood."

Ansem and Vanitas disappeared in a flurry of shadows, leaving Vexen alone with a sleeping child that refused any and all means to wake.

"If you could do me a favor," Vexen said as though the child could even hear him. "Some semblance of consciousness from you would really help me do what I came here to finish. I will be gone for a few and return with some items that may help us both, till then, try not to expire. Vanitas did something to you, and I would like to find out what."

Vexen exited through the corridor of Darkness and left the child unsupervised. Amidst the silence of the desolate room, the child's finger twitched and their eyes slowly opened.

* * *

AAAAAAAAAA I FINALLY DID IT. I WROTE A CONTINUATION TO THIS SERIES. I've been meaning to write this for so long but had no idea how to start or go through with it. All I know was that I wanted the Organization to be involved, but I also did not want to mess up the canon too much. [Player] can't be a Seeker (or can they?) because that would tip the balance and the prophecy of 13 v 7. But then I thought, Nomura was already doing a lot of mindfuckery with us in current canon and the secret ending so, might as well?

I hate being late into the entire Union X lore too. Now my story makes zero sense because it was all Ventus all along, but its really not? And its not Lauriam or Brain's fault either but? Maleficent? My brain cannot handle?

Aw man, fuck you Nomura. I love Kingdom Hearts so much.


	2. Demyx

**Demyx**

* * *

Demyx held his sitar close as he peeked into a corner, ready to attack anyone that happened to sneak up on him.

Ever since he returned from a mission from one of the higher Xehanort's – he stopped trying to figure out who was who since there were like four of them now – something had been amiss inside the Castle That Never Was. Demyx returned to chaos!

Well, not literally because the castle was found near the Darkness of Kingdom Hearts and that was _literally_ chaos, but more a mix of literal and figurative. Several rooms, which Demyx didn't even know existed, were left open for everyone to see. Shelves and furniture were thrown, pushed and tattered beyond recognition by scratch marks and oddly shaped burn marks. Papers were scattered everywhere, and if Demyx didn't know any better, he would've said that someone was smashing glass on purpose.

It looked like someone or something searched the place for something they had no idea where to find. Demyx wondered if it was one of the Guardians of Light. Could they have already figured out their plan with the Replica's to fill up their ranks? He doubted it. He just came from spying on them; afar, and he knew they were nowhere closer to completing their seven as they were completing their thirteen.

Whoever trespassed into the castle didn't know what they were doing. Demyx knew there were only two ways to get into the World that Never Was. The first was through a Dark Corridor, which every Organization member knew how to operate. If it was one of them, then all these mess was unnecessary. The second was through Memory's Skyscraper that connected to some portal in Twilight Town.

People believed that place was haunted so Demyx doubted it was just some random teenager looking for a rush. Still, whoever left the castle in shambles was either an unforeseen foe, which was highly unlikely, or it was just one of Vanitas' unchecked emotions having a fit again.

However, the more he considered that fact, the more it didn't make sense. Chaotic as they were compared to Heartless, it didn't explain the expanse of the destruction. Vanitas wasn't even in the castle, and those creatures only spawned where he went.

Demyx filed in into his quarters and let out a devastated scream when he stumbled upon his bed in tatters, and his vinyl collection, which he started collecting as a Nobody, in pieces on the floor.

"_DUDE_, THIS IS _SOOOOO_ NOT COOL! I SPENT ALL MY MUNNY ON THIS!"

Demyx held his favorite vinyl close and silently wept. He could excuse the wreckage of other useless items in the castle, but he drew the line when the intruder touched _his_ stuff.

He followed after the trail of disarray around the castle, and when it kept going on for floors higher up the castle, the more Demyx felt terrified for himself.

If he didn't catch the intruder before the bosses return from their respective missions, The Xehanort's, as he liked to call them since they were all the same person just different iteration, then it'd be his life on the line. He was already benched thanks to the Replica program, so if they found out that he let some weakling walk in and mess everything up then he's definitely dead. _Thrice_.

He didn't become a Nobody, then reformed as a human, then recreated as a Nobody again to suit the Organization's schemes just to be killed _again_ for something as stupid as failing security guard duties; which by the way isn't even his job.

He just happened to stumble upon it first, and by virtue of being a reserved member, he obviously had to deal with this without disturbing the others.

Demyx heard something crash in a nearby store room and instantly rushed towards it. He held his sitar at the ready and – the door suddenly opened then someone _crashed_ into him_._

Demyx fell back as he was pushed down by another person's weight. The intruder scrambled to their feet, not bothering to apologize for slamming unto him and ran off. He couldn't recover fast enough to catch the intruder when a hoard of aggravated Floods rushed after the fleeing figure.

He let out a frustrated growl as he threw one of the creatures back into the room and kicked the door close. No one steps on him and gets away with it. Demyx picked himself up from the floor and ran after the negativity demons with the intent to kill – the Unversed, not whoever broke into the castle. He needed them alive to clean up their mess, not make another one.

Demyx followed the creatures towards a dead-end hallway and almost tripped when the intruder pressed themselves closer unto the wall; their eyes narrowed in terror at the monstrous devils that twitched menacingly before them.

Demyx couldn't believe his eyes. It was a _kid_.

_How did they get here! _he screamed to himself.

Demyx knew the possibilities, but the idea still shocked him. Even as a curious, good for nothing, trouble making child he was, Demyx wasn't dumb enough to leave a trail of evidence behind. He's too lazy to do that anyway.

A Flood pounced on the child, who screamed and only raised their arms to protect themselves. Demyx's body moved on instinct and summoned his Arpeggio. He quickly played a tune on the instrument then a pillar of water burst from the ground. It blew away the Flood inching itself towards the child, and returned it to its creator.

The child lowered their arms and peered behind them to watch Demyx with pleading eyes. Demyx cursed his soft spot for children and threw away all ideas he had of torturing them in favor of saving them. He maybe a Nobody, but he wasn't heartless.

The Floods glared at him for his unwanted intervention, and Demyx bravado was quickly wiped away. Red eyes narrowed as they scurried over; their spindle like arms and legs shaking and bending in unimaginable ways as they approached.

Demyx waved his hands in surrender. "W - Wait! This is just a big misunderstanding!"

The Unversed jumped and swiped its pointed limbs at him. Demyx raised his sitar and pushed them back with a wall of water. He swung Arpeggio around and a wave of water trailed behind its base, creating a barrier of dancing water around him. He managed to reduce their numbers in half with his flashy, dance like moves, but the last few that stood increasingly grew cautious of his distance and backed away.

They stood closer to the child now, who still stood at the end of the hallway. The Unversed twitched as they slowly trudged forward, and Demyx smirked.

"You chose the wrong person to mess with today," he said and spun his weapon over his head. He hit a specific note and bubbled up orbs of water fired at the pests without mercy.

The Flood disappeared in a flurry of purplish black smoke, and Demyx released his weapon. The water that doused the space dissolved along with his magic. Demyx swept a hand through his hair and sighed, "Well that was a lot of unnecessary work. I am _so_ not doing this again."

He caught the child looking at him from afar and Demyx smiled. _"Thanks for saving me_ _sir_!" he said in a higher pitched voice and raised his leg like some damsel. "_I was veeeeeeeery scared of the monsters I didn't know what I'd do._" He wiped fake tears off his eyes, and sniffed for effect.

When the child didn't react to his theatrics, Demyx dropped the act and groaned. "Hey, I just saved you! Some words of gratitude would be nice."

The child frowned, seemingly apprehensive of his presence despite having protected them from the much deadly Unversed, and anxiously looked around for a way to escape.

Demyx bit his lip and reworked his strategy. He'd always been the best in socializing in the old organization. Still was, if he were to be honest, and if this child was terrified and confused of where they were, being confrontational about it wouldn't help them relax and open up.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I'm just really stressed after seeing what you did back there. The place is a mess, and being the resident disappointment, I'm sure they'd blame me instead of some trespasser like you. You being here is already a problem I can't explain so… truce?"

The child silently mulled over the proposition then nodded. They didn't say anything else as they walked towards him, clearly more open to hear him out more with the peace agreement between them. Demyx can't help but feel a strange sense of déjà vu at their behavior.

"How'd you even get in here?"

They shrugged, unsure, and Demyx sighed.

Of course they didn't know. When he first woke up in the castle too, he initially thought it was the afterlife, then he realized that the afterlife didn't need to have matching uniforms, so that was obviously not it.

The kid wasn't wearing the standardized coat, so they weren't a new recruit. Besides, even if they were, they were most likely just another reserve like him. That didn't sit well with him, even with all the evil he'd supposedly done as a Nobody.

"Well, whatever," he said so dismissively that his lack of concern over finding an unwanted person in the castle surprised the child. The confused look on their face suggested that they were expecting him to do something else, but whatever _that_ was, Demyx didn't bother to find out.

"I was huntin you down to capture you but I changed my mind," he said with a grin. "I'm going to force you to clean up your mess and be there to supervise."

The child's eyes widened, a bit offended by his honesty. They shook their head in protest then mimicked two pointy antennas on their head. They pointed to where the Floods used to be and huffed.

Even though it wasn't a clear indication of speaking, Demyx oddly enough understood it. The child was making an excuse, and that the mess wasn't their fault but the Unversed.

The way they communicated honestly reminded him of how Roxas and Xion were when they first joined the Organization. They were people of few words, Xion even more so, and the only way to tell what they were thinking was through reading their body language and taking a good long look on their facial expression.

Demyx prided himself in being the best at reading them both, and while that didn't help his case in figuring out Xion's real purpose in the Organization or figuring out Roxas' emotional constipation was something else different. All he knew was that he was good at translating non-verbal talk.

Who knew that underrated skill would come in handy in the future?

"Maybe if you didn't break in then they wouldn't have attacked you," Demyx said, and the child huffed. They gestured something again which Demyx didn't quite catch. "What was that?"

The child waved it off. "Well that's sounds like it means something. Can't you just say it out loud?" Demyx suggested, and the kid bit their lip.

They then gestured something that roughly translated to, '_I can. I just don't trust _you_._'

Demyx scoffed. "Well that's not going to save you from fixing what you destroyed so get moving."

He pushed the child from the shoulders to get them moving but the child stood their ground and pouted. They then reached out their hand, and Demyx stared at it, dumbfounded before it clicked a second later. "You have some nerve to ask for something when you're the one who started trouble in the first place!"

The child shrugged, looking smug as they kept their outstretched hand towards him.

"I can kill you, you know."

The child didn't blink as though responding with, '_I know and I don't care.'_

Demyx shuddered at their lack of self-perseveration. First they storm an unknown castle, fight with Unversed, and now they have the gall to order around someone who was clearly more powerful compared to them.

Demyx was actually impressed, and if he's allowed to be, a little terrified. Maybe this kid was not who they appear to be and was actually more powerful than he looked.

With that in mind, Demyx tried to argue with the kid using only nothing by his stare. The younger only looked back at him with empty dead set eyes. Seconds later, Demyx's lips quivered and he looked away in defeat.

"Alright fine!" he cried. "You win! Sheesh. You're just like Sora, never backing down when you should. Kids these days huh?"

The child's eyes narrowed when he mentioned Sora's name, but Demyx didn't catch the reaction fast enough to actually comment on it. "So, what does the not-so mute kid want in return for doing the labor I don't want to do?"

They pointed to themselves, to the ground below them, then jabbed their thumb behind their back.

"You want to bail?" Demyx asked, unsure if he read that right. The kid nodded. "Oh yeah, I can definitely do that. The earlier you're out the longer I get to keep my head on my shoulders."

He grabbed them by the shoulders and pushed them towards the general vicinity of their clutter. The child was surprisingly more cooperative after he agreed to help them out of the castle. They worked slowly and struggled to lift the heavier furniture, so even if Demyx said he'd stay out of cleaning, he ended up helping anyway.

It's not that he pitied the kid's efforts, but Demyx was starting to worry that the kid's terrible sense of pacing would get him more trouble than necessary. It was just about time for him to report his reconnaissance to the bosses, if he was even a tad late, it'd be a nuisance to explain.

When they finally finished the last room, Demyx laid down on the ground with a triumphant sigh. "That's all of it!"

The child looked down at him from where they stood and shook their head in disbelief. "Hurry up. You promised to get me out of here," they finally said.

Demyx shot up to sit upright, and pointed a knowing finger at the child. "YOU REALLY COULD TALK!"

The child rolled their eyes. "Of course I can, I told you I can. Now will you stop playing around and actually get me out of here?"

"What's the rush anyway?" he asked as he stood up and dusted his coat. "You don't know even know where '_here'_ is."

"I know enough." The kid turned away from him before Demyx could press further. Then all of a sudden, questions that Demyx chose to ignore in favor of appeasing to the child's good graces rushed back.

The child wasn't wearing a coat, and they certainly weren't a Replica either. However, the possibility of them being another vessel was still on the table. They didn't have yellow colored eyes yet, so it may still be an early recruitment.

The kid still had fight in them; which Demyx experienced first-hand. The kid was a fighter, and Xehanort only attempted to possess those with weaker constitution or identity. If that were the case, Demyx didn't know because the others didn't need to tell him.

All he had to do was follow orders; whether he liked those orders or not was not their concern.

Returning to headquarters in shambles was one thing, but losing an asset was _definitely_ going to get him killed in worse ways. Demyx cautiously pulled his arm to the side. "Who are you really?"

The child looked at his arm and frowned. "To be honest, I don't know either. I just want to leave, and _you_ promised."

"_Huuuuuh?" _Demyx groaned in disbelief. "Screw the freaking promise! I'd die if I let you go without knowing who you really are! We didn't even pinky swear on that promise so I can break it anytime. And what do you mean you don't know who you are?!"

The child held their tongue and visibly frowned in impatience. All too suddenly the room grew cold and Demyx shuddered. This _power_ reminded him of Xemnas' twin – the one with the large Heartless for a weapon, but more muted. It was darkness in its raw range, but it wasn't of chaos, it was anger. Anger directed _at him_.

Demyx called for his weapon, but was abruptly cut short by someone's irritated voice.

Vexen stormed into the room and grabbed the kid's hand, who yelled at the former's rough handling. Almost instantly the cold subsided into nothing but a memory.

"I turn away for a second and _you_ disappear!" the blond scientist yelled. The child flinched. "I wasted three cycles watching you instead of prospering my research, then you vanish like a dream! I will not tolerate escape. How did you even leave your pod!?"

The child grunted while they struggled to break free from Vexen's hands, and refused to answer his questions. Demyx guiltily watched as the more Vexen tried to force an answer out of them, the more the child retreated into their selective mutism.

"Vexen, maybe if you –"

"_You will stay out of this_!" Demyx succumbed at Vexen's tone. "There's an anomaly loitering the castle and you did not think to alert me when you've found it!?"

"That _it,_ is a kid. And how was I supposed to know you were harboring them in the castle in the first place?! I just got back and last I checked you were making Replica's to replace both of us in the Organization!"

Vexen clicked his tongue. "_Ignoramus_, if I were given a choice, I would dedicate all my time and effort on my life's work. Ansem has given priority to this _child_," he hissed, unsure whether to refer to them as a person after what they've accomplished. "Their existence is a matter of utmost precedence, and _I will not_ accept any more setbacks with both of my assignments."

Demyx bit back any untoward comment he had for Vexen and simply followed the latter back to the lab.

Vexen threw the kid back into the pod. The child slammed their hand on the glass case, and then looked at Demyx with the same pleading eyes from before.

Demyx turned away, refusing to fall for the same trick twice. He shouldn't feel anything as a Nobody. He shouldn't even feel pity as a vessel of Xehanort, reserved member or not. He needed to follow the plan, even if he didn't know what it was. The child, was apparently a part of it now. Whatever their role was, he had to make sure they stayed and fulfilled it.

Whether Demyx liked it or not, was not the Organizations concern, so it shouldn't be his either.

* * *

**A/N**: ITS DEMYX TIME!

Demyx is one of my favorite Organization members but he has way too little screen time, so I decided to give him one. I was really excited to write this chapter but I took a little too long figuring out how to write it and make it as less serious as Vexen's was; because Demyx is much more of a goofball than Mr. Mad Scientist is.

I also know that he's like one of the rumored Union keyblade wielders because of that one scene in KHIII, but we've never met him as Player. Demyx is also a very different person from his somebody so even if we did meet, he wouldn't remember us. We wouldn't remember him either. ERGO, I give you Demyx caring for Player but not quite attached yet.

Thank you so much for the support from the first chapter by the way! I didn't know people were waiting for a sequel for this series (which plot I'm actually just making up as I go, sorry if I disappoint plenty). See you next chapter!


	3. Luxord

**Luxord**

* * *

Luxord studied the child before him. It was difficult to ascertain their gender given how their hair hid most of their facial features. They also wore the Organization's black cloak which gave nothing away of their true identity. He was not informed of a new recruit. Luxord was certain they already completed their thirteen; with the remaining two still being replicated to serve as perfect vessels.

The child occasionally glanced up to him but was too intimidated to keep their focus on him for too long. Luxord tilted his head and their eyes briefly met. The child jumped and hid behind Demyx who had his hands clasped over his head, begging. "Please do me this solid just this once, Lux!"

"Do not refer to me like that," he sighed. "We are not friends. And whatever reason you have I refuse to handle your problems. Unlike you, I have no time to carouse. I am occupied with more pressing matters."

"Well you're back here," Demyx argued, "which means Sora kicked your ass in the Carribean."

Luxord glared at the younger male who flinched. "W –What I meant was, you deserve a break! We all know what defeat tastes like and we shouldn't let it fester. We only live once right?" He placed a hand on the child's shoulder who shoved it off. "So what's the best way to relax? To spend it with company! Have good ol uncle Luxord teach you something fun, right? Uh…" He huffed. "We haven't really agreed on a name yet. I'm running out of sweet ideas."

"A name?"

"Ansem found them in the Realm of Darkness, and Vexen's been studying them since. I'm on babysitting duty because the kid keeps running off. They're crafty, this one," he added in a soft whisper. "They also kinda have no idea who they are, so we agreed to help them get their memories back if they are good."

The child punched Demyx's arm and the latter chuckled. "I know, I know. Work to do. Please Luxord! Just this once, I won't take long. I promise! Its Ansem orders, and you know how that goes."

Luxord's brows furrowed. "What does Ansem need a "benched" member like you to do this late in the game? We all received our orders."

Demyx crossed his arms behind his head and grinned. "You know the protocol, Lux, my lips are sealed. You shouldn't be asking questions either, so laters!" He threw his arms out with his hands gesturing out double peace signs and disappeared inside a dark corridor that led to who knows where.

Luxord sighed with the shake of his head then glanced at the child who stood at least three feet away from him, watching the last wisps of darkness disappear from the room. "And what say you about this unwanted predicament?" The child shrugged as though to say their opinion on it wouldn't matter anyway.

"A person of few words are you?" The child nodded which made the former smile a little. Perhaps their company wouldn't be as rough as he made it seem. "I was quite worn out from my assignment, may I persuade you to try a little game?" He flipped his hand to pull three gray cards with a white border and five Nobody symbols on its back.

The child shrugged again, not really having an opinion of their own. Nonetheless they silently followed him to a room where they could settle themselves in comfortably. Heeding Demyx's warning, Luxord made sure the child was always ahead of him in case they decided to run away behind his back. He had no inkling as to why the child was of importance to Ansem and Vexen but thought it unimportant. Looking after this child was a far easier task than scouring dozens of worlds for a box they did not even know existed.

The child watched him minutely shuffle his deck of card with large fascinated eyes. Luxord was unsure whether to be bothered by the attention placed on him, or if he should be flattered by it. Nevertheless he thought it best to grant the child a spectacle if they were that interested in his act and impressed by his dexterity.

He divided the stack into two halves and held them both horizontally on each palm. He placed his thumb and smaller finger at the bottom edge, and divided the two stacks further into two with his remaining three fingers. He rotated the new piles next to each other and applied pressure on the deck closest to his thumb. The edges of both piles shuffled together, and he flipped his hands down to shuffle them together in a neat pile.

The smallest of noises came from the child's mouth, clearly amazed by his act.

Feeling emboldened by their reaction, Luxord did the one hand shuffle trick again; only this time he had the entire pile cut into two with his right, then divided the pile nearest his pinky into another half with his left forefinger. He divided the new half on his left hand again, flipping the upper half between his fingers while the remaining half stuck close to his thumb. He shuffled the cards on his right together, pressed them on his left and stacked the remaining cards over it.

All of this happened in a second.

The child blinked, as though applauding him then stared. Luxord chuckled. "Would you like to see more? Perhaps one only I could do" They nodded.

Luxord pulled his hands apart, letting the cards levitate on its own space as though by magic and rotating them around him. The child gaped as a few cards flew towards them and circled around their head. They tried to grab onto one but Luxord pulled it back and shimmied the cards to form a cohesive S shaped wave between his grasp, slammed them all back together then raised his hands, nary a trace of playing cards on hands.

The child jumped and searched around for the cards, failing, until Luxord revealed them again with a flick of his wrist. "Shall we play?"

The child smiled, the first clear expression on their face since they met and nodded. Luxord dealt all the cards between them, deciding on something easy to start their time with. It was a simple yet classic game he'd learned from childhood. When the Organization first assembled, Luxord also used this game as a means to socialize with the rest. It proved too elementary for everyone (except Demyx) and thus were compelled to raise the stakes by adding a betting pool and including a punishment for the defeated. It was a genuinely good past time among them. Poker was yet another favorite, however, no one could win against him in that and so Old Maid it was.

The child quickly understood the rules then developed a winning streak. Luxord was courtier of luck himself, but this was by far the luckiest he's seen another have at it in this game. The game followed a rule of chance, and with only two players, that percentage was divided evenly between them. However, the child seemed to have sucked his luck out of the draw.

The only way Luxord thought it possible to win Old Maid 100% of the time was through cheating. Luxord was a man of principle and as a gambler, his pride did not allow him to cheat. He found the act abhorrent to even consider. He did however engage in acts that gently nudged the tides into his direction. It wasn't cheating, it was a calculated move to ensure victory. That being said, while he enjoyed the child's silent leaps and noises of joy and triumph, Luxord had his pride as a gambler to protect.

Luxord laid out all the cards on the table after he shuffled them twice, then collected them with a wave of his hand. He grabbed a piece from within the deck, certain of its suit and number then placed it to the side to serve as their unlucky card. They proceeded to toss out pairs in their hand until they were left with a good amount of cards each on their hand. He let the child pick from his hand first until they were down three each left.

Luxord studied his cards and falsely mixed it around to fool the child. They had a habit of choosing the leftmost card, then the second card front the right, and then the middle card. If he read them right, then the child was most likely to take the on in the middle.

The child pulled the King of spades and clicked their tongue. Luxord chuckled as he pulled the penultimate pair he needed to end this match, "What luck, you have dear friend. The dice has been cast to favor me next."

They pouted and hid their last two cards behind their back, shuffling it away from Luxord's prying eyes. Luxord however knew this was a futile endeavor. When the child finally showed their cards, their eyes very briefly shifted to the card on their right. Luxord fought back a grin. It was a valiant effort to retain their winning streak.

He hovered his hand to the left card, and at the last minute pulled the card on their right. The child gasped as their loss dawned on them, and Luxord dropped his winning pair unto the table. "And the undefeated finally bows to my genius."

They threw their remaining card on the table and huffed, clearly annoyed with their loss. Luxord found their exaggerated expressions rather amusing. With how little they spoke aloud, it was the most he could gather from what they thought. "I'll allow you a chance to redeem yourself, but this time what do you think of putting up a little wager?"

They tilted their head, curious. "If you win, you may ask me for anything you wish from the outside -" their eyes grew in surprise. "You are a subject of Vexen's ridiculous research, I know how heartless he could be to children. I cannot grant you freedom, but I may provide you a bit of consolation for your cooperation. How about it?"

The child pursed their lips, disappointed at the offer but nonetheless nodded. They then pointed at Luxord with a frown on their face. "If I win," he continued. "We shall pick a name for you."

The child immediately shook their head. As lucky as they were stubborn, they seemed. "Then you should do your best to not lose." Luxord shuffled the cards again, chose his Old Maid, and methodically guided the maid around so that the child fell into a false sense of confidence. The child had managed to learn from their previous loss and got rid of their glancing tell, making it harder for Luxord to guess where the maid had gone after they shuffled their cards almost every two turns.

Despite this, Luxord was confident he knew he was going to win this. He only had six cards left while the child held seven. He pulled his lucky draw and shaved two more cards on his hand from six to four. The child then dropped another pair, leaving Luxord with four cards to choose from and one forbidden card to avoid.

Just as he pulled out a card, Vexen waltzed into the room with a clipboard on hand. "I see you've stumbled with yet another face you shouldn't have." The child narrowed their eyes at Vexen, obviously weary of them. Luxord slotted his unknown fifth card into his hand and regarded the scientists with a curt nod.

"Demyx left them in my care."

"And you taught them to gamble?"

"It helps to relax the mind."

"That's… nice," Vexen sighed in disbelief. "However, that's enough games. We still have much to do. Come, Subject UE."

Luxord raised a brow at him, unimpressed by the horrible name. Vexen sighed. "They refuse to be called anything specific, thus, I will continue to refer to them as such."

Luxord tapped his chin in thought. "I'm certain I can come up with something more acceptable."

"We don't have time for tha -"

"Yue?"

The child shook their head, and Vexen palmed his face. "The musical buffoon had the same idea and they refused it all the same. It's best to refer to them by their subject name. It keeps us from being attached like the last time."

"The last time you slotted one of your subject's in our ranks, we didn't even know she was one."

"Would informing you have made such a difference?"

Luxord shrugged. The child frowned at their exchange, unaware of this other subject they casually mentioned just now. Vexen fixed his lab coat and beckoned for Yue to rise. "I have no trouble trapping you in ice again if you do not leave with me right _now_."

The child glanced at him one last time, hoping to get Luxord to their side and allow them to stay. He smiled apologetically and leaned back. Their game was fun while it lasted, however the child was still a pawn in a much bigger game. He may not know what that is, but that remains to be true. He mustn't interfere with their special role, whatever that may be. "Run along, Yue. If you finish early we could play another game together."

That seemed to bring the child's spirits up because they stood immediately and said, "Sea salt ice cream." Vexen blinked, flabbergasted, while Luxord's eyes grew, surprised that the child actually had a voice. They then ran out of the room and found their way towards the lab on their own, leaving both Nobodies at a loss at what they just heard.

Vexen turned to Luxord, his mouth opening and closing, unsure of what to ask or say. In the end he chose not divulge anything and left. Luxord glanced down at his cards, and chuckled.

_Seven of hearts._

Luxord admitted his defeat. It's been a while since he visited Twilight Town after all.

* * *

The next time Luxord crossed paths with the child, he found them sprawled out on the floor, breathing heavily and looked a little pale all over. Luxord supposed Vexen tired the kid out with his experiments beyond the usual and had been kind enough to give them the time off. Lucky for them, Luxord had just picked up their prize from off-world.

"Hard day at the lab I see."

The child groaned as they rolled their eyes to look at them. They lazily raised their hand for their prize from last time's bet. Luxord pulled the frozen treat from his coat and kept it out of the child's reach, who pouted at his antics. "Ask properly. You boldly requested it with your words before. I think we've moved past conversing through gestures now."

They frowned, silently refusing the plea and lunged for their prize. Luxord dodged, keeping his arm high above his head, and the child stumblingly followed after him. They tripped on their own two legs and Luxord caught them before they hit their head. The child pushed him away, clearly annoyed by his playfulness.

Luxord dangled the ice cream over the child's head who tried to ignore it. "Use your words," he asked again.

The child grumbled, their arms crossed over their chest and swiped the ice cream from his hand. They ripped it off the plastic and shoved the frozen dessert inside their mouth. After a while the child mumbled something Luxord missed.

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear."

The child chewed on the stick, annoyed, and mumbled a soft thank you.

Luxord nodded. "Now that wasn't so hard was it?" They threw the crumpled plastic wrapper towards him in response. Luxord tilted his head to avoid being hit on the face and the wrapper bounced then rolled on the ground. "Yue. Don't litter."

Yue growled and stuck their tongue out. Luxord kept his blank stare at them which quickly made the younger uncomfortable. "Pick it up, or no more ice cream for you." Yue pushed themselves up from their supine position and stomped over to the wrapper to throw it in the garbage. They returned to glare at Luxord who gave them another stick. "For your effort."

Almost instantly the kids eyes sparkled and all their anger towards him dissipated. Luxord sat back on the couch, while the child finished yet another ice cream in record time. He never did quite understand why children liked that piece of frozen flavored water. While the child compared the words engraved on the two Popsicle sticks on their hand, Luxord pulled out a small piece of candy with brown packaging for himself. It's still rather sweet but it also has that right hint of caffeine that keeps him alert during missions.

Luxord caught the child staring at his candy rather curiously and offered a piece. The child naively took it into their mouth, and quickly spat it out. They wiped their tongue disgustedly with their sleeve and made a horrified face at Luxord.

"You'll get used to caffeine when you're older, kid." The kid vehemently shook their head, silently vowing never to do so. They reached their hand out to him again as though to ask for another piece of ice cream. Luxord frowned. He didn't expect them to be so ravenous.

"These are dessert items, not supper. Has Vexen not properly given you anything to eat?"

They shook their head, not the least bit bothered by it, then insisted on getting another Popsicle.

Luxord sighed. Nobodies had no need for food nor water because they were empty bodies that only persist to exist due to their strong will. They are still able to partake in the act should they choose to, but Luxord found it counterproductive. There was no point in pretending to be something he no longer was. That being said, the child was not like him, or at least… that's what Luxord wanted to believe.

It was quite odd to suddenly adopt a new Nobody for study considering their tight schedule for the upcoming battle between their forces and the seven warriors or light. Then again, Vexen wasn't the type to share as well.

"How about another game? Should you beat me, I will buy you more sea salt ice cream. If I win, you will eat whatever food I give you next, deal?"

The child shook Luxord's hand and sat across him, waiting.

Luxord laid out his cards and laid out sets of five cards between them. The rules of this game may be a bit complicated but he was certain the astute thinking would enable them to understand it fairly quickly. "I will teach you any gamblers favored game. With your luck in our first duel, I feel that you are ready to take me on in a serious match."

The child listened to Luxord intently, and as he expected, they quickly understood the rules. They ran trial matches, wherein Luxord would show the kid his hand, and the child would then try to craft a set with higher value compared to his. Once the child was able to make their own decisions and play without his help, Luxord shuffled the deck on his hand. They were ready.

However, before he could give out their respective hands the child grabbed the stack of cards from his hand and shuffled them again. They stared at Luxord with a distrustful frown, which made the former chuckle. He raised his hand in defeat. "Poker is not a game you simply cheat at. It's a game of the mind and self. I wouldn't dare tarnish its respectable name with lowly tricks."

The child dealt five cards between them and closely held their up to their nose. They watched Luxord with narrowed eyes while the latter laid back to study his hand. This was going to be fun.

* * *

**A/N**: KH:Melody of Memory got announced, then Dark Road got released, my interest in KH and this fic has risen from the ashes. I also rewrote some contents of the first two chapters to account for things/canon info I didn't know or include when I first wrote them. They're not massive changes tho dw.

Luxord has always been the next person I had in mind for Player to meet. He seemed like a really cool guy in KH2, and an even cooler guy in KH3. If he wasn't an Org member I bet he'd be good with kids. I just hate his speech pattern, so eloquent and talking in game/luck metaphors, I'm no good with those huhu. I practically slept with a thesaurus just to get a semblance of his vocabulary right.

No suffering Player this chapter, only fun times no alcohol required. The Player is still unnamed but will occasionally be referred to as Subject UE by Vexen and Yue by Luxord. Demyx is the only one who respects the Players decision to remain unnamed.

P.S I don't actually know how to play Poker, so the scene fade out it is.


	4. Larxene

**Larxene**

* * *

Larxene returned to base with a heavy scowl. She finished her job with flying colors, finding not one, but _two_ new hearts to fill their new Seven Princesses of Light. It was a surprise really, how two sisters, one of pure heart, and the other plagued with darkness, managed to influence each other to grow into a blinding light that could power worlds. Larxene only needed to make sure one of them was born as a back-up plan for their back-up plan, but who was she to refuse two? It saved them all the trouble of scouring worlds for the remaining hearts.

Given a win like that, one would think Larxene should be elated. Even she was shocked at this emotion rippling through her supposedly heartless body. Larxene was _pissed_.

The last person she talked to before skipping out of that frozen hell hole was the goody-two shoes and his nitwits. She knew Sora was going to pop up one way or another. Pests always do. But she didn't expect her mood to be this run down to the ground. It was all the brat's self-righteous speeches and amiable nature that truly grated her nerves.

Larxene gagged as she mouthed Sora's teasing about their short handed number, then his empty threats; if one would even consider the latter capable of such, and shuddered. "Ugh, gross." It left a bad taste in her mouth. "As if this war hasn't strung along innocent people before."

It also didn't help that the thought of Sora and his dastardly keyblade reminded her of the thing Xemnas told her and the rest of her old Organization buddies. She had hoped to forget it with the mission, but seeing that weapon on the twerp's hand just made it gnaw at her mind again.

_You were chosen to unlock an ancient keyblade history _

What kind of bullcrap was _that _even supposed to mean?

Unlike the higher number who knew of their past once they woke to being Nobodies, Larxene wasn't as lucky. When she was first given the name Larxene and subsequently recruited into the Organization, Larxene had to put up a front to hide the fact that she didn't remember anything about herself. Not even a semblance of her personality. Most of the organization then when she was welcomed had already established who they were in the unit. There was a sadistic lancer, the silent and rather stoic brute axe man, and et cetera, et cetera. They knew who they were, or at least, established who they were now as a separate person to their past.

As one of the last to be recruited, and the only female member at that, Larxene had to adapt with the big boys. She smiled for days on end, giggling, playful, and teasing; anything to throw them off the fact that she was struggling to find her true self. In the end, her search made her too impatient, too angry, and too desperate when all her efforts led to nothing.

What initially started as a mask _became _Larxene, the only self she'd ever come to know.

She treated others like dirt, too callous, and too spiteful to let anyone in and get to know her. As though to match everyone's lack of a heart, she became just as ruthless as the other, refusing to be seen as anything less just because she was a woman in a man's world. She became disliked, but feared.

Larxene soon found that she liked the feeling of being feared, and hasn't stopped making it so since. She loved this version of herself; the assured and strong persona she felt like her past self was not. Somehow, she felt like her past self was so disgustingly weak that it was a blessing that she didn't remember her altogether. Larxene loved her confidence and ambition. After all, that's what got her reinstated in the _real _Organization.

She was by no means into the whole, being a vessel of some old man, but after Xemnas' little meeting with the former number's nine to herself, that once lost, unsure, desperate mewling woman was back gnawing at her mind.

How the fuck was she supposed to unlock an old ancient keyblade history hidden within herself, when she barely found answers about her past life on her own? She rolled her eyes, waving her hand dismissively at the annoying thought. "Ah, to hell with it. I don't need whoever I was to know who I am now."

She strolled back to her room, hopefully to get some beauty sleep before they were called out to gather for the final fight. She'd done her job and that means she had all the time in the world to relax till then. Larxene passed by the lobby on her way to her quarters, a little surprised to find Luxord by the high tables, fixing up what looked like a plate of freshly cooked meat with a string or two of vegetable on the side.

"What's all this?" she said, gesturing to the meal with her nose held up in disgust.

"Larxene, how timely of you to return."

She raised a brow at the other, with hands on her hips. "This isn't for me is it? I prefer my suitors younger, and less bearded." Luxord briefly looked at her, his poker face unbroken. "And preferably not you. Sorry old man 'M not interested."

"Then perhaps it is for the best that this isn't for you then."

Larxene huffed. She knew it wasn't for her, but the way Luxord said it made her a tad bit annoyed. None of them needed to eat. It was one of the few blessings of being an entity without a heart. So, who the hell was it for?

The question was left unsaid but Luxord seemed to understand the glare she had on the plate before them. "If you stay longer, you'll find out soon. They should be done with Vexen now."

Larxene, against her better judgement, pulled back a chair and settled down. She drummed her fingers on the table, impatiently waiting for this mystery person.. This better be not some trick with Demyx or else she'll gouge both their eyes out.

Fortunately, or _unfortunately_, it wasn't a joke. The door, which led to the many laboratories Vexen had to keep his little wind-up toys in, slid open behind her. A child of indiscernible gender and age walked in with a crossed expression on their face. They barely gave Larxene a passing glance and placed themselves across Luxord, who was seated beside the plate of meat.

The child looked at the food, clicked their tongue, then to Luxord, who simply chuckled. "As we have agreed, you lost our last gamble, and as such, you must eat _real _food."

The kid arguably shook their head and gestured something with their hands that Larxene didn't understand. Luxord stood his ground, as though he understood whatever nonsense the child just motioned about and pushed the plate closer to the latter. He frowned at the child, his gaze growing more imposing each second.

The child huffed then angrily stuffed meat into their mouth, pushing away the greens as they did. Luxord's eyes narrowed into slits and the child begrudgingly pushed them back.

Larxene glanced between them, suddenly feeling left out of whatever was going on between them. "Alright, what in kingdom _shit _is this? Can't the brat talk?"

"Ansem brought them back from the Realm of Darkness," Luxord started, then he reiterated what he heard from Demyx, and some other information he was allowed to share from Vexen's studies about the child. "And no, they aren't mute. If I recall correctly, Vexen called it… selective mutism."

"Fancy term that don't mean shit to me," Larxene scoffed. "If the kid can talk, then let them. No need to baby them, we're not a kindergarten."

The child looked at her, eyes flashing in a split second image of recognition, before they frowned; either curiously or offensively. Larxene didn't give a shit. She growled at the child, who blinked at her sudden animosity. _That's right pipsqueak, I'm not in a friendly mood and I bite_, she thought to herself.

"No need to be hostile. They are one of us now," Luxord said, ignoring her comment earlier. "When the time arises that I am not here, I would do you the same faith Demyx has given me."

"Hard pass," she groaned with a wave of her hand. "I'm not taking care of some snot nosed brat. Have fun playing dad with a future vessel or some shit. I'm going to my room. Don't ring me up" After she disappeared into the other door that led to their respective quarters, the child looked up to Luxord, a question mark painted in their face.

"Do not mind her, Larxene's like that to everyone. Now eat before Vexen calls for you again."

Luxord turned around to discard the paper container the food had come from and the child stared at the door the female Nobody just exited from. "Larxene…"

* * *

Larxene was woken up by three, maybe four, no - ten knocks on her door some time later. She tried to ignore it, but the knocks kept on coming. She pushed herself up and glared at the door, silently sending her killing intent through the metal door.

For a while, the glaring seemed to work and Larxene pulled the covers over herself.

Not a second later, however, the knocks returned. "Oh for the love of -" she shoved the covers to her feet and stomped towards the door. "DIDN'T I SAY NOT TO DISTURB ME!_"_ Larxene paused, blinking in confusion when she didn't see anyone by the door. At least... no one at direct eye level.

She looked a tad bit lower and spotted Luxord's kid, or Ansem's, whoever it was who owned or fathered the child, it didn't matter. Luxord didn't bother sharing the kid's name to her anyway. The child blinked, eyes blank, face devoid of emotion. Larxene's eye twitched when the child's visage shifted into that of Xion in her mind. Those empty eyes reminded her of that puppet. By hearts, she hated that bitch.

Larxene peered on both sides of the corridor, trying to find Luxord hiding away somewhere like a helicopter parent. This has got to be some ploy between him, Demyx and the kid to drag her in their little babysitting club. When she didn't, she stared at the kid again. "_What?_" she hissed, crossing her arms as she did. "Daddy got fed up with you and now you're running around for scraps?"

The child blinked again, their intentions still deafeningly unclear.

Her eyes twitched. She didn't have the patience nor the skill to decipher what their cryptic look meant. She also _didn't _want to understand any or at all of what they meant. The less she did, the less capable she would be in handling them. Larxene definitely wasn't going to smother the brat with kindness just because she had to. She hardly knew what they needed another kid for experiments for. They already had the Replica's, _and _a backup for Replica's, and a _backup _for the missing warriors of light.

One more secret plan and she's going to make that balding golden eyed man wish he had stopped with plan A. Just how much more convoluted does Xehanort intend to make this war be. _It was already a shitshow from the start_, she thought to herself.

The child kept staring, and Larxene shuddered.

She thought she might have just imagined the recall that flash in the kid's eyes the first time they met, but now she was sure. The child looked at her like they knew her. It was downright insulting.

"Nuh-uh, no, no, I'm not doing this. You're going back to Vexen," she harshly grabbed the kid's arm and pulled them along with her.

They let out a pained yelp, which Larxene so casually ignored. She's fought children before; with knives, she can handle one brat that had the most frustrating sets of eyes she's ever seen.

The child continued to struggle against her grip, punching and slapping her arm just to make her release them. Larxene grew tired of their futility and smacked them on the head. The child's free hand flew to their head, eyes narrowing in protest. A silent venomous word fluttered over their eyes, but Larxene once again dismissed it.

"Ohhhh stop being such a whiny baby. I'm just returning you back to your cage so you can leave me the fuck alone. I'm not as easily manipulated by your adorable face like the oth- OW!" Larxene immediately pulled her arm and back handed the kid on instinct. The child fell to their side, a red mark obvious on their cheek.

Larxene stared at the reddening circle on her skin and shook. "YOU BIT ME! FUCKING BRAT!"

The kid pushed themselves upright again, standing their ground with an oddly misplaced resolve in their eyes. Larxene hissed at those eyes. They shone far too brightly for a creature borne out of darkness like her. Now, not only did the kid remind her of Xion, but their stubborn eyes also mirrored Sora's faith in the good of all people. Always, going on and on about saving everyone. Well, pity, she didn't want to be saved.

It's already too late to save her anyway.

She felt her anger rise, and before she could stop herself, threw out her knives, sparking with electricity towards the kid. The child raised their arms, but didn't even once flinch at the lightning that danced inches away from their limbs.

The blades flew right past, and lodged themselves on the wall. "Stop being so fucking annoying before I actually kill you. I don't know what deal Vexen and Ansem wants with you, but I want out of it. So be a good little kid before I turn you into a lightning rod."

The kid lowered their arms, seemingly won over by her anger, until they took one step forward and shook their head. They once again stared at her, eyes mirroring a plea she could not, _did not _understand.

Larxene felt a vein pop in her head. A murderous grin slipped past her lips, her patience already reaching its absolute limit "You got a death wish, don't you? Is that what this is?"

Their eyes answered her with just silence. This time though, Larxene understood it.

She didn't know why. She absolutely despised those eyes. It reminded her too much of Xion and Sora's own. It also didn't help that the longer she stared, the more she felt as though his past actually recognized them as well.

She didn't even know why. She didn't know why it made her _so _angry. All she knew is that every part of her body wanted it gone. She wanted to kill it dead; wanted to get rid of anything related to her weak past self, _whoever that was._

Her arm sparked. "Oh, I get," she said with a theatrical wave of one hand, "You've had enough of playing nice and want it over with, right? A swift death. That what you want? That's why you're being an insufferable brat right now. To get me angry so I can end it all."

The child reached out for her arm, and naturally Larxene pulled away. "Back off, brat! I didn't say you could touch me."

The kid lowered their head then very shyly, gestured something with their hands; one face down and the other moving across the open palm like they were writing. Larxene didn't have the patience to decipher their signs, but only an idiot wouldn't understand _that_.

"You... want something to write on?"

They nodded, making the older palm her face. A rather unsatisfying mix of emotions swirled in her brain that basically just left her more exhausted than she was before. "I almost fucking killed you over a freaking notebook," she sighed.

The child tilted her head, seemingly unbothered that they almost just died by her hand. "You're a weird one, kid, I don't know whether to be scared or worried about you."

"Luxord said you weren't mute, so why not just fucking talk?"

The child looked away, obviously still intent on keeping silent. Larxene scoffed. "Figures. Nothing ever came easy in this world."

"I do this one thing for you, and you leave me alone forever, got it?"

They hesitated for a second but nonetheless nodded.

"Thank fuck, I thought I was going to have to hurl you to a wall to make you agree," she sighed and immediately led them to Namine's old quarters. They should have a couple of spare notebooks and crayons lying around. That is, if no one came to clean up the place after the first organization died off.

The kid followed her from behind like a newborn duckling albeit with less quacking and more dead silence. Larxene didn't realize how endearing that silence was now.

Larxene found two blank sketchbooks inside the drawers but no crayons. They tried searching Demyx's room next, because he was the closest person to child Larxene in the organization (the young Xehanort didn't count) and failed. The child made a face as though to say, 'I told you so' which she shoved a gloved hand to to silence.

They ventured to Vexen's lab next as a one stop shop. She'd be able to leave the brat where she intended to, and maybe find them a pencil to write with as well. "Hey, blabbermouth, you got a pen? This duckling won't stop following me until I give it what it wants?"

Vexen's head popped up from his piles of books and notes. "A pen?"

"No a knife, _yes_, a pen."

"Why would you assume that I have a pen?" he frowned. "All our data is encrypted directly into the computer. We are not so primitive to use such things anymore."

"Well _excuse _me for thinking you, a scientist, stuck in these four walls playing with your dolls everyday and night, would have some form of writing tool."

Vexen sighed, defeated. "Then I _apologize, _you assumed wrong. What do you even need a pen for?"

"Not me," Larxene huffed then jabbed a thumb towards the young one. "Them."

Vexen's eyes sparkled in heightened interest. "You know how to write?" The duckling shrugged, but the scholar nonetheless grew excited at the new information. "Then we shall make haste. If they are capable of literacy, we may be able to get something out of them without forcing them to speak."

Larxene groaned even louder as she was dragged along to find any and all writing material in the whole freaking castle. After about an hour scouring all over for the place for even the smallest clump of color; they reconvened with about 3 crayons, and one charcoal pencil that was snapped in half.

Vexen sat the kid in the middle of the lab and picked up his tablet, ready to input whatever data this little experiment of his would yield. Larxene hardly saw it as an experiment as it resembled more of anursery activity.

"Very well, write what it is you want to convey."

The child stared at the paper then very anxiously hovered the crayon over the surface. Vexen watched intently, while Larxene curled her hair antenna around her finger, clearly bored. After minutes of nothing the child finally scribbled on the page then flipped it around for them to see.

Visible confusion etched on Vexen's eyebrows while Larxene burst out laughing. The scientist turned to her, perplexed at first, but as she continued to guffaw, his eyes narrowed in intrigued as though he just discovered something crucial.

"Christ, kid, where did you learn that?" Larxene shouted. "Did Demyx teach you that? _Holy shit_, that's not something a kid should know!" She clutched her stomach, bending over to curb her spirit. "No that pasty bread wouldn't know shit, it's got to be Luxord. He curses like hell when he loses a game."

"Hold on," Vexen cut her off, "you can -? You can read what they wrote?"

Larxene wiped a tear and waved a hand around. "I'm not illiterate, Vexen. Of course I can read it. They called you a -" she stopped herself. "Actually, I'm not saying that. It's bad for my reputation."

Vexen pressed the bridge of his nose. "Larxene… This is one, if not the biggest revelation I have had with them since they arrived. I am already behind schedule on my Replicas and have very little patience right now. _What did they write?_" he hissed.

She rolled her eyes. "Sheesh, at least say please if you're going to be so pissy about it. And no way. A lady shouldn't say that aloud."

"Fine," Vexen conceded. "They shall write something else then, and you will tell me then."

Larxene looked at the note again, making sure she read it write and wasn't just hallucinating. The words hadn't changed. "You seriously can't read it?" Vexen shook his head, which prompted Larxene to read it _again _for the nth time. Still as clear as day.

Vexen picked up the notebook from the kid and wrote something on his own as well, "Read and compare."

"You're an annoying bitch," she read on command, and glared at Vexen. "Har, har, very funny_._" Vexen bristled and turned the page back to the kid's writing.

Larxene gasped, finally catching unto Vexen's discovery. Her mask faltered, the amusement falling prey to the confusion that now painted her eyes. The characters they used to write both messages were very different. Vexen wrote with a script that Larxene read everywhere in almost every world she visited, meanwhile the child wrote in almost symbolic script.

"Wha- how could? But I-?"

"That is something I would like to know the answer too as well. You are aware UE has no memories?"

"UE?"

"Their name, or well, what I have decided to call them. They do not prefer to settle with a single name."

She shook her head, not the least bit interested in that. She grabbed the paper in Vexen's hand and shoved it at the child. "Write something else," her voice almost pleading.

The child scribbled out a new message.

"What does it say?" Vexen asked.

"They're asking when they can leave."

Vexen rolled his eyes. "We have been through this already. You are not leaving until my study has been completed. Have you forgotten that I may have a way to retrieve your forgotten memories?"

The child wrinkled their nose and wrote another string of words. "Just one trip, they want to see outside."

Vexen shook his head. "Absolutely not! They have been trapped in the realm of darkness for far too long. They must remain bathed in darkness or else they would cease to exist. Light exists out of this world, lest you want them dead that badly?"

Larxene frowned. She may have once, but with this new information, things have changed between them. All of a sudden her irritation at their seemingly familiar eyes made sense. _Her past_. For the first time since being born as a Nobody, she finally had a lead.

It's just a shame her lead also didn't have memories. It was almost ironic how they've both forgotten themselves. "Just... who is this kid?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't be here. All we know for certain is that they were once a keyblade wielder, or is," he corrected. "I have yet to see them sumon it again."

Xemnas words echoed again in her head - _chosen to unlock an ancient keyblade history. _

Vexen turned to his data, continuing on with his scientific rants that Larxene didn't understand. In the end, Vexen appointed her as the child's translator, much preferring this mode of communication than guessing their hand motions to which only Demyx and Luxord seemed to understand.

Larxene sighed to herself as the child followed her all the way to her quarters. Luxord still hadn't returned, probably still looking for that box, and Demyx was out gallivanting someplace else. So much for not being bothered.

The little duckling settled themselves as far away as they could from her, somehow respecting their distance after they got what they wanted. Larxene tried prying more history off them, but the child merely directed her to their favorite written page _"I don't know"_.

Her frustration bubbled up inside again and decided to call it off for the day lest she act on it again. If she read that line one more time, she was going to rip the entire notebook in half.

After a long time of silence, she heard the kid's clothes rustle towards her. They held the sketchbook close to them and looked as though they wanted to say something. Larxene pushed herself off the bed and tilted her head, "What do you want now?"

The little duckling handed them the sketchbook, and Larxene half expected to see another stupid request written on it. To her surprise, it wasn't just a request, it was an entire drawing. Poorly done in comparison to what she's seen Namine do, but it was clear enough to spark a semblance of familiarity in her.

It was a drawing of purple colored twin towers with a large golden clock in the middle. "Daybreak town," she found herself saying on instinct, and the child beamed.

* * *

**A/N**: Larxene enters the battle!

I dunno if I got Larxene right, but I did my best to get her to as close as I think she acts to the game. She was always so bitchy in her cut scenes and I felt like she would be the type that hates or generally dislikes kids. She's also very theatrical and begging for a reaction, so I thought she'd get really pissed at someone who hardly showed or said what they think.

I took a bit of freedom with how she became and entirely different person from Elrena (Union X). It's one of the biggest mysteries Union X gave us and I wanted to throw my take on it. As for the language only she and the kid can understand, that's a personal head canon. I used it in Something Lost, Something Found too, if you can spot it, that Daybreak Town uses it's own language (dead language now hahaha) I wanted to use something to connect keykid with the other "ancient weilders" without relying too much on their memories of each other because half of them barely met then.

Also, Larxene is so going to call the kid duckling. Add that to the list of pseudo-names.


End file.
